Listen Now

It’s common to feel like you aren’t making visible progress in your meditation practice. We often like to see results right away, but meditation is actually something you grow with over time. When you hit this learning plateau, take time to reflect on why you started meditating in the first place and what progress looks to you.

We can’t avoid hard times. In moments of stress, you can always lean on your meditation practice and use intention-setting to guide your decisions on how to respond to challenging situations. Hardships are inevitable, but we can equip ourselves with the awareness to find solutions in the present moment. 

Everyone deals with issues differently and in their own way. A particular solution might work for one person, but it might not be appropriate for another. And that’s totally okay. Mindfulness encourages us to notice what is happening in the present moment and adapt to our needs. Try to reflect on what works for you and what doesn’t.

We can sometimes underestimate our influence on the people around us — positive and negative. As you begin your meditation journey, think about how your mindfulness practice will affect your nearest and dearest. You might notice a shift in your personal relationships. 

There are moments in life that require serious attention. But sometimes we get so caught up in this attitude that we forget to enjoy the present. Try not to take life so seriously and learn how to make space for laughter. You might be surprised at how good it can feel to smile.

Practicing a “beginner’s mind” asks us to drop expectations and other assumptions we formed through past experiences. Essentially, approach every moment as if we’re experiencing it for the very first time. Try it out and apply a “beginner’s mind” to every area of your life. 

Holding on to negative or even positive experiences can often lead us to feel stuck. When ruminating on these thoughts or experiences, we’re closing ourselves off from the present moment. In situations like these, it’s best to practice mindfulness and gently let go of the thoughts we’re holding onto and bring ourselves back to the present moment. 

When fixated on the end goal, we often lose sight of the present moment. We can easily get wrapped up in our ambitions, which can cause stress, anxiety, and depression in our lives. How about we appreciate the present and the journey we’re on? As we wrap up this week, remember that all of the concepts we learned so far are interrelated: non-judging, patience, acceptance, trust, and non-striving.

Learn to listen and trust your inner voice. It’s easy to fall into a space of judgment when deciding if you should follow your intuition or not. Fears of making mistakes arise, but remember that mistakes are just lessons learned. It takes time to learn to trust yourself, and you can cultivate this trust through meditation. 

When deciding to make a change in your life, it’s best to first accept where you're at in the present moment. You don't have to like where you are, but there's a difference between not liking something and harshly judging something. Learning this distinction is crucial when trying to make meaningful changes in your life.

In today’s world, we expect everything in an instant, including accomplishing our New Year’s resolutions. We’re so used to immediate gratification that practicing patience can feel uneasy. Don’t be afraid to let things unfold in their own time. 

Sticking to New Year’s resolutions is tough. Oftentimes we set unrealistic expectations and then judge ourselves for not meeting them. But what if we used mindfulness to help us accomplish our goals? For the next eight days, Kessonga will focus on one of eight concepts of mindfulness and discuss how incorporating these practices can help us successfully execute our goals. 

The freedom to express and be creative is often challenged by the restrictions we place on ourselves. It is important to nurture our childlike ability to  freely express our creativity. 

Everyone has a legacy. It may not be one that impacts the masses, but you are impacting someone, whether you realize it or not. How will you be remembered? How do you show up in the world? 

Experiences, sights, sounds, and emotions are all things our brain consciously and unconsciously processes. The more information we consume, the more energy we use. 

We move through life making choices with anticipation for an expected result. Sometimes, this can lead to disappointment that stops us from living in the moment and letting life just be what it is. Learn to feel comfortable with letting go of your anticipations. 

There may be someone who is capable of making something you love look effortless. And when we’re beginning to learn something new, we can get discouraged by the amount of effort we have to put in. This is common in learning. Don’t judge your progress by someone else’s mastery.

Think of the last event you went to. Now recall if everyone had their phones out. How much of our experiences are actually being experienced in the moment, and how often are we trying to capture moments to share at some future date? It’s the tension of all great photography — moments can only be captured when we are fully present, but by capturing them we disrupt the present. 

Mindfulness is a non-judgmental state, but when we have an intellectual understanding of mindfulness, but not the experiential knowledge, we can use it to judge others. Today, focus on your experiences to empathize and be a source of compassion, not judgment. 

What happens when you want to go off the Headspace app and be more spiritual in the world? This was a new one for us. But the essence of the mind is the same in all scenarios, spiritual or not. The goal is to be present. That’s it.